Singapore girl: Enlisting girls to do NS as nurses is ‘impractical’

Singapore women have always demanded to be treated as equals to their male counterparts, but when it comes to sharing responsibilities, they do not appear to be keen.

One nursing undergraduate Jocelyn Tan has written to the Straits Times Forum today to rebuke a suggestion by Ng Chee Kheon to having nursing as a national service, describing it as ‘impractical’.

Ms Tan argued that nursing is not a job for everyone and making it “compulsory for Singaporean girls to serve as nurses or nursing assistants without proper training may not be the best way to tackle the shortage of local nurses, and it certainly is not in the best interest of patients.”

“Mr Ng also has the misconception that nursing is a stagnant occupation with little or no need for nurses to update themselves on relevant medical advances, since he suggests building “a pool of operationally ready local nurses”. This is a flawed perspective of nursing,” she added.

All Singapore men have to serve two years of National Service followed by many more years of reservist which causes them to enter university and working life later than their female counter-parts thereby putting them at a disadvantage in the labor market.

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87 Responses to “Singapore girl: Enlisting girls to do NS as nurses is ‘impractical’”

just leave the job to our operation clever high class well train F.T! we low class can only server N.S. O for our female citizen can join N.S also, no happy can stay home and become ma ma and give birth more low class citizens!

Nurses work in clinics and hospitals not in National Service. Our army boys will go wild and with these cute little ‘babes’ serving them, there will surely be more injuries or sicknesses whether you believe them or not.

Godsaid

National service does not purely consist of the army. Since civil defense is also part of national service, why can’t nursing be a part of NS ? FYI, many nurses in Singapore are actually foreigners. What will happen to the casualties in war during wartime ? Will the foreign nurses stay ? Also, having women to serve as nurses will allow the government to ease up on it’s immigration policy, which will pacify the people, and allow cheaper labour (Pls, serve NS pay peanuts, i think even cheaper than employing foreign labour.).
A large reason why the government rejects the idea of NS for females is most likely due to the backlash it will bring (As seen when NS was first introduced), and will very likely affect their votes in future elections.

Pharaohsaid

Singapuraboisaid

Maybe not just nursing. We should open up NS for women in various roles such as combat, medical, admin and tech operations. Perhaps the women should do a one year compulsory internship in the army, navy, airforce and police force and then do a 6 month stint with a private company. This will give them a better insight as to what their r really doing in the army and so they don’t spew insensitive nonsense online. At least our men r slogging hard while our girls r sitting at home and selling their souls for a pair of Gucci sunglasses and grades. Women before u run ur mouth off about how useless our local men r, take a good look at ur own gender who at the drop of the hat would take up the world’s oldest profession and not for any righteous reasons except to have the latest LV Bag. If u say our boys r pampered, what about our women?

deosaid

Passer-bysaid

Hey! That is so unfair generalizing all S’porean girls of being materialistic. You guys have your duties. We girls have our own duties. And for gawd sake, those girls who insulted NS men are plain bimbos who have never went through hardship.

Get a life rather than insulting all the girls. Some of us do admire those guys who went through hell during the training. Also, some of us have much better things to do rather than spending our money on luxury goods (And for your own sake, please do know that half of the luxury goods you see carried by the girls are actually imitation. Its quite cheap you know).

Yes, we have a head start as compared to you guys in jobs and completion of our studies, but who usually get promoted faster? After NS, you don’t have other things to worry about other than financial needs. Stop whining. You are behaving just like all those girls who thinks S’porean men are useless. Every individual have their own roles to play.

twentyeightyearoldsaid

Definitely not fair!said

If women demands to stand on equal ground AWARE should stand out to fight for women to be enlisted to serve in National Service! Civil defense, nurse, army, air force or in any role for the same duration as the men.

Passer-bysaid

Wow. Now you are bringing up the ‘what duty’ issue. For once, just sit down and think through rationally instead of just bombarding over unfairness in this country.

You complaint about us girls not respecting you guys. You complaint about some girls calling you guys weakling. And now I understand why those girls complaint so much. Look at how you comment. Just because girls need not need to serve NS and have 2 years free compared to you guys, you want to talk about equal duties and responsibilities.

You want equal right? You want fair responsibilities? Sure. No problems. But the day we girls lose respect over you guys and said that you guys are just bunch of weakling, don’t blame it on us. You wanted fair share of duties. The day govt decided to call on girls to be enlisted, we will whine at first. But on the day it end, we can happily shout in your face that we can do whatever you guys can do in term of strength and intellectual. When that day happen, we won’t need guys in our life.

The fact that majority of us still respect those who had served NS is because we know how tough training is. We also know that you sacrifice 2 years of your time protecting the country. WE OURSELVES KNOW THAT WE CAN NEVER DO WHAT YOU GUYS DO!

For gawd sake, don’t you ever realise that we are thankful and grateful that we still have guys to protect the country? Forget about those stupid bitches who complaint about you guys.

So shut up and man up. Stop complaining about equal duties and responsibilities. Yes, we never do much for the country. I admit but that just doesn’t give you rights to belittle all of us. You think its easy being us? Then try being us.

Urgh. Now to think about it, I find it worthless trying to talk sense to guys who just hate the idea of growing up.

Austin Tansaid

In Israel, girls do NS. And life there seems to be normal to me where girls and boys still depend on each other. What are you talking about?

You women respect us? Really? That sounds like pure BS to me. Girls avoid NS men in clubs and bars because they have no money and are considered to be “immature”. Then they hook themselves up with foreigners who have never hold a gun in their entire life and consider them as “mature”. As usual, you are all full of excuses. You all know that you can do anything to us and no matter what, we still have to defend the country.

We men have put up with you hairless girls long enough. Its about time you experience what we do. We are nice enough to say that you should start off in the medical profession already.

Godsaid

Who usually gets promoted faster ? Obviously the one who has the best performance in a given amount of time. This has nothing to do with gender. Women are demanding equal rights, yet they do not want equal responsibility ? The guys are not complaining purely because females do not have to serve NS. They are complaining because they serve NS, yet do not get treated fairly (Women’s Charter Psssh). Are you saying now that since guys serve NS, and girls respect them for that, it should remain that way because when girls serve, they will lose their respect for guys ?
1. going by that logic, guys shouldn’t respect girls now should they ? Let the raping commence since we shouldn’t respect our womenfolk
2. If respect is simply measured by what someone does, then it really isn’t respect is it ? Do you respect your parents ? If so, do you respect your father more than your mother because your father is a male (I’m boldly assuming he is a Singaporean who has serve NS), and has served the nation ?

Please, you can never do what guys do ? Why not try signing on with the army ? With a good degree, I’m sure you will be of a certain respectable rank as soon as you enter the army. Your achievements will outshine the many low ranking NSmen. Honestly, the only logical conclusion i can come with, from reading your views is that you genuinely believe girls are inferior to guys, YET you demand equal rights. This is highly illogical, degrading to women, and honestly just very contradictory. Honestly, I don’t think guys know how women are thankful that they have served NS (As you claim that women do feel thankful for that), most likely because women have made no efforts to show it (Of course, if they really do feel it). Don’t make up some nonsense about how women do feel thankful, and men expecting them to show it is childish, for all humans want their efforts to be recognised, be it men or women.

Pharaohsaid

Lol. Do we want equal rights?? Rubbish. That’s what the females came up with.

We want to come home to a spotlessly clean house…. with you fetching our slippers… and warming up dinner which you painstakingly prepared.

Not telling us which expensive bag/diamond/holiday you want and go on and on about how lucky your 1 in a 1000 tai tai friend is, b!tch. (Go ask her…. she is so BORED and lonely with her life of endless facials and salon trips… champagne and pretentious air kissy kissy events where she just goes home to b!tch about everyone who attended. Not forgetting that her rich man’s son husband is already having a new girlfriend barely 6 months after marriage).

After dinner, give me a shoulder rub.
For dessert… I’ll have the chocolate cake while rewarding you by allowing you to suck my @ick.

Who is talking about equal rights? You belong in the kitchen.

Populistsaid

If we don’t have enough nurse, just close down some of the hospitals lah. Since Singaporean hated foreigners so much. They can be treated in Johor Bahru lah. In the case of emergency, just get yourself prepared to die half way through the trip. Perhaps declining population could help to reduce our pubic transport congestion.

F!said

Godsaid

You have really contradicted yourself. If Singaporeans hate foreigners, why would they go to Johor Bahru, which is out of the country, and thus is made up of foreigners, to get treated ??? If there is a shortage of nurses, efforts should be made to correct that. What did Singapore do when we had a shortage of military personnel ? Go over to Johor Bahru and ask them to lend us their army ? Please use your brain a little more the next time before you comment.

maipenraisaid

Since we are short of manpower already (including woman) we should be thinking of shortening NS further rather than putting our char bor though NS for the sake of tit-for-tat. When you are injured, do you really want the 18 yr old inexperienced “nurse”, who may scream at the sight of blood, to clean and treat your wound? (Please don’t believe the picture you see above hor)

Angry Stonesaid

In time of war, u aspect FT nurse to stay and attendant to our injured man in the field? Fat hope i think…… By then you will have older and inexperienced nurse who might still scream at the sight of blood, to clean and treat your wound.

Godsaid

That’s why need to train them ? If they are inexperience, they need training. If they faint at the sight of blood, they need training. Please, you think some guys don’t faint at the sight of blood too ? Go into war straight away faint is it ? Like that how ? Bo bian liao hor ? NS has already been shortened. Shortening it further is not a solution, as there is only so much you can shorten for the duration of NS. If we really had that short of manpower, women would have already been enlisted for NS years ago. I can understand why the government did not want the whole population for NS when Singapore started out, mainly because of the nation’s economy. However, the argument will not hold any weight today as Singapore has one of the strongest economy in the world. I say the best solution will be enlisting females, and shortening NS to the minimum duration.

Our sons already suffered the disadvantages to FT for two years NS stint, now they want our daughters to suffer the same ???? Hell No !!! SInce they like FT, let them get the talented FT to do the job.

Godsaid

Yet the locals are not suffering for the FT, but for themselves. FTs are only here to boost our economy (Although the government seems to have overdone it.), NS is done purely for our interest, why shouldn’t women contribute to our interest instead ? I mean a large portion of working women are working for foreign companies are they not ? They are indirectly serving foreigners, and that should be corrected with a stint of NS.

yayasaid

assign only the obese and those whose face look like langgar-by-pickup truck to man the medical centres, or as medics,
while the hot looking ones to man physical training centres or obstacle courses.
this is just the gist and I am sure many NS guys can add on.

babusengsaid

Are you a man? You want your future wifes and daughters to go through NS for the sake of equality. That’s f**king lame. When it comes to serving your country, it’s a man’s job and while it’s shitty and no one likes it, just suck it up and do your duty. 2 years is too long, should go down to 1.5 years max. Back in the old days it was 2.5 years which is even more f***ed up.

twentyeightyearoldsaid

you’re going into traditional gender roles here. are you saying that men are doing NS because women go through domestic hardship? if you choose to use these gender stereotype, then my counter argument along the same lines is that men bring home the bread, is responsible for the family’s well-being, is under pressure to make sure he has a successful career, has to be the emotional pillar of strength at home, etc etc.

NS doesn’t even figure in your “female hardship” argument.

Austin Tansaid

Are you a woman? You women are full of excuses and only know how to whine. All the time complain about menses, need to give birth so no need serve NS while they ask for equal salary and equal job opportunities as other men. Why don’t you shut the hell up and serve the nation with us? We suck it up like a man, you should learn that skill too if you want to be on equal grounds with us.

If you want us man to do our job, then why don’t you do your job in the kitchen and wash our clothes too? Oh wait, you probably don’t know how to, you spoilt little kitten.

Singapuraboisaid

Why is it when women run men down we r supposed to take it but when we say something about women they jump all over us. And when they can’t win an argument they use their periods and child bearing to win the case. In case u women don’t know child bearing is a blessing and it is funny how women, when they feel like it is considered a blessing and when they don’t feel like it is regarded as a curse. My female boss once told a female employee who use pms as an excuse and my boss promptly told her to stuff it. “u grew up with it so you should know what to expect every month. And if ur period is as crippling as u say it is then there is something wrong with ur body and should have a medical examination and not take it out on the rest of the world.” and yes, that came from a woman.

Junnie Aikosaid

Godsaid

Funny ah, you are comparing biological roles with social roles. Eh sorry ah, biological roles a bit hard to change, unless you willing pay $$ for sex change. Social roles can be changed if society wants it to. The effects has already been seen when women are given equal rights.

manjitsaid

hello babu,
enlsting the girls will increase the NS guy’s chance of meeting his future wife.
don’t have this mindset women belong at home or they cannot cope with more physical work.
look at the women athletes at the Olympics and you can see they are talented and look hot too.

Snoopy Sayssaid

It is whinning men that kept complaining abt their responsibilites the resulted shallow women to past insensitive remarks abt whinning men. Both men and women have their parts to play. Stop complaining lah. Man and woman can never be equal in terms of their responsibilites in life and physically. Put yourself in a woman’s shoes if u wan others to do the same. Juz becos a few shallow women gave stupid remarks? There ARE women in NS as well if u open ya eyes and see.

Austin Tansaid

They are not in NS. Don’t mix up the term. They are having a career. Do you know why they are working in mostly navy and air force? This is because they are mostly there for money, the overseas trip, scholarships to universities and also because their current qualifications suck. Its only a small handful that are in the chiong sua units and i haven’t spoken to them yet, but i’ve spoke to those in the navy and they tell me this is the reason.

Then, they start regretting their time in the navy, giving all sorts of excuses like too confined, superior too fierce, blah blah blah. Its only navy somemore, where ships are fully air-conditioned and they get to bathe. However, sad to say, many of them either chao keng their way out or break bond or get pregnant for 1 year excuse. Girls just can’t do it. Then their IPPT is damn easy also. I mean, c’mon, inclined pull ups and walking speed 2.4km gold timing? No wonder the guys don’t respect them.

So, my point is, its like what you people are saying, girls and guys are different and cannot be equal and should have different responsibilities in life. So, girls, don’t try and to act like a man and want to ask for equal pay or equal job opportunities. Just do your job, probably in the kitchen, and all will be fine. If you still insist on doing men’s roles, then serve NS like real men, chiong like the rest of us and shut the hell up and we probably will give you some leeway.

Godsaid

Serving the nation is a man’s job ? Tsk tsk tsk, what a male chauvinist we have here. Do you also think that all branches of NS has no females inside ? Eh you never see all the DXOs advertisements arh ? All girls right ? You in NS never meet female officers before ? I pity you.

but nowadays girls are getting too cocky..saying ns guys are weak like what happen 1-2mths back…

i was posted overseas for NS training..oversea army have female enlistees why cant singapore…i dun mind my daughter next time go ns also..everyone plays a part in protecting singapore..excluding those foreign talent who come sg shoot their mouth only..

when i was in ns i also had a lady officer who sign on and work as airforce logistic..she can do it why cant rest of people did..her jobscope is pretty managable also..monday-friday 8-5(excluding weekend DO duty)..21-23 days leave scheme…pretty much 1month leave liao leh….

Pharaohsaid

New Guardsaid

Female serving national service by going through 2 years of nursing is impractical. What about us guys who serve for 2 years and 10 years of reservist? Practical then?

I find the ‘impractical’ statement utterly impractical.

Dont get me wrong, i’m a pro ‘NS’ Singaporean and a firm believer of our NS system (just that it has become rather soft these days)

I have met people for all kind of backgrounds, and i respect those who see the positive side of NS, it’s true that we are ‘slower’ by two years, but the experience is far fruitful then any job experience can offer.

Physical training – understanding ones limit.

Mental training – building up ones mental self

Team training – building up trust in people

Leadership training – building up command and control

be it any kind of 2 years of NS we all go through, nontheless we all have gain some kind of experience which $$ can’t buy.

I’m a firm believer that 2 years NS for our female Singaporean will do more good then harm.

Female NS must be conducted at gov. hospitals and not military hospitals, this will reduce the need for imports and there will have a constant supply of cheap (allowance) nurse.

ASDFsaid

Once when I donated blood at HSA, I was served by NSmen medic instead of the regular nurses. I’m sure role like these can be performed by NSF females.
Also besides serving as nurse, there are many non-combat role like admin.

On 2nd thought, if mercenaries can win medals yet shameless Singaporeans are so proud of it, why not outsource all the NS to mercenaries that can do a better job?
Buy a battalion of PLA 人民解放军 as pioneer batch for trial. Then slowly expand to all forces.

Populistsaid

I though Singaporean hated the foreigners and prefer to die at home rather than be treated by foreign nurse at the hospital? I will donate coffin for you if you die at home and abstain from going into the hospitals.

Godsaid

Shailisaid

This is a ridiculous picture , chosen for the wrong article. I am extremely disgusted at the act this by passed the supervisors! The nursing profession is truly one of the highly respected proffessions in every country! Every nurse deserves a public apology by the publisher/writer for this cheap illustration of nurses. SHAME on you!

NSrocks-notsaid

Mikelsaid

“Ms Tan argued that nursing is not a job for everyone and making it “compulsory for Singaporean girls to serve as nurses or nursing assistants without proper training may not be the best way to tackle the shortage of local nurses, and it certainly is not in the best interest of patients.”

as if all Singaporean men are born military men and did not have to go through proper training

Godsaid

Seraphimsaid

Unless the girl take health related major, I really see medical error/negligence on the rise with more medical lawsuits against our hospital and increasing medical cost because of it. In this case, it is dealing with people’s life. I seriously would not want a carer that cannot identify the symptoms when I have a heart attack.

Godsaid

I’m pretty sure having 2 years is sufficient to train them. With the overabundance of foreign nurses in Singapore, one has to wonder what will happen when war comes to Singapore, and many of the men are injured. Will the foreign nurses stay ?

Seraphimsaid

2 years is just ITE training for EN with examinations among other things. It is 3 years worth of training for RNs in poly and university.

If a NS guy screw up, he will get charged and kanna DB. If a NS nurse screws up, it can potentially cause the hospital millions of dollars worth of compensation.

An example of medical negligence. A lady cherished her hair when she was healthy. And her family told the hospital that they want their mother’s hair to remain as it is be even though she was at end stage cancer and slipped into coma. Her hair was unkept for a long time and a new nurse came along and decided to cut it, so that the patient looked neat and presentable to others. A lawsuit occured and the family won because of emotional hurt and nursing negligence. The hospital had to pay hundred of thousands of dollars because of it. It may sounds absurd, but I can assure you that it is true. the nurse lost her practising cert and was sacked immediately. It happened in Australia. The nurse meant well, but the consquences is severe.

So if it happens in Singapore, it can get complicated, especially when the nurse is serving her NS. The above does not involve a person’s life, but if someone dies because of some other mistakes, the compensation can be even higher.

I honestly opt for a more administrative kind of NS. They can serve the administrative position in government sectors (therefore bringing down the cost of maintaining the government) or as support personnel for healthcare services where they do not need to be directly involve in handling peoples’ lives (AINs equivalent in Australia or ambulance drivers) or social workers.

Gabriel Mikosaid

Junnie Aikosaid

I do believe that non-serving FTs (regardless of sex) should be made to pay higher tax + a defense tax be imposed on SG-properties owned for the rich which non-sign-on NS-personals are forced to defend with virtually zero pay (allowances doesn’t even cover the loss in income during those 2++years). The collected tax should then be used to assist the less well-off struggling NS-men who can’t afford studies or are struggling with finding work as a safety net, or with their medical care.

Nowadays young girls are very daring and also i think because of the fast foods they are eating caused they to blossom at a very young age…., the girl in the picture is only about 17, i guess, but look at her bustline….!!! Just incredible…!!! Thank God I don’t have any daughters if not then i will have to check on her every hours thru her mobile. Girls serving the NS is totally out of the question…! We got enough young men already….

kensaid

agree, it is just encouraging some women to abuse it. always talk about equal rights but expect to be treated like a queen.
on a side note, i have a wonderful and understanding girlfriend that knows what we go through during NS and does not expect to be treated like a queen, although i still pamper her; both of us pamper each other at times, we do it for love, not so much for expectation.
those bimbos really need to be taken advantaged of by the ‘mature’ animals they meet at clubs before they learn?

Uniquely Singaporesaid

Godsaid

Ms Tan argued that nursing is not a job for everyone and making it “compulsory for Singaporean girls to serve as nurses or nursing assistants without proper training may not be the best way to tackle the shortage of local nurses, and it certainly is not in the best interest of patients.”

I literally laughed, because if the girls were really to serve as nurse, obviously have training one right ? Maybe Ms Tan thinks guys go NS straight away hold gun and shoot ? No need training ? LOL